Short films – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Oscar-Nominated Shorts 2023 – Review by Susan Granger

February 27, 2023 Susan Granger Academy Awards 2023, ampas, Short films

A short film is typically considered to be a movie that is less than 30 minutes in length. Although many of them don’t acknowledge it in their biographies, several top filmmakers began their careers making short films. If you can make a successful short film, it proves that you’re a good storyteller who can work within a budget and create your own cinematic identity. Short films are less expensive than feature-length films, and their purpose is often to showcase new talent and experimental techniques. Which is why they’re important.

Reviews

Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts – MiniViews by Diane Carson

February 13, 2023February 16, 2023 Diane Carson artha mitchell effect, documentaries, elephant whisperer, haulout, how do you measure year, oscars, Short films, stranger at the gate

Oscar Nominated Documentary Short Films present compelling statements. Five Oscar nominated documentary short films communicate important ideas. Two take animal welfare as their topic through very different styles but with equally powerful, engrossing works. Two are explicitly political, and one chronicles a father/daughter relationship.

Reviews

SO YOU’VE GROWN ATTACHED – Review by Nell Minow

August 10, 2022August 14, 2022 Nell Minow Judith Viorst, kate tsang, Madeleine Conner, Necessary Losses, Short films

In this charming and wise short film, writer/director Kate Tsang tells a story of the first steps into growing up with captivating wit and charm, and with a quality that is even more rare, genuine whimsy. The black and white cinematography gives it a timeless, fairy tale quality that perfectly suits the mood of the story. Judith Viorst’s book, Necessary Losses, describes the often-wrenching pain that humans experience as we mature. That theme is brought to life in this film, as a young, sci-fi comics-loving girl named Izzy (Madeleine Conner) has a best friend who is sympathetic, supportive, fun, and always has time to play with her.

Festivals

Fantasia Film Festival: Born of Woman 2022 – Liz Whittemore reports

August 4, 2022August 6, 2022 Liz Whittemore Born Of Woman, daughters of witches, don't go where I can't find you, everybody goes to the hospital, Fantasia Fest 2022, genre shorts, horror, kin, lily's mirror, punch drunk, Short films, stained skin, the anteroom, wild card

Nine unique films comprise one extraordinary viewing experience. Fantasia Film Fest’s annual Born Of Woman program features shorts created by an eclectic array of female filmmakers. Get ready to be astounded by 2022’s storytelling.

Festivals Interviews

MICKEY SUMNER on WITH/in, iPhone filmmaking and Trudie Styler – Jennifer Merin interviews

June 17, 2021 Jennifer Merin female filmmakers, i’m listening, maven screen media, mickey sumner, Short films, tribeca film festival, trudie styler, with/in

Mickey Sumner’s I’m Listening was shot in response to Maven Screen Media’s WITH/IN short film initiative for Tribeca Film Festival 2021. The directive was simple: Using an iPhone and whatever’s easily at your disposal, shoot a short film dealing with quarantine life in 2020. It’s not as if there wasn’t a surplus of storytelling angles, themes and emotions available, considering how much everyone’s lives changed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Festivals Interviews

Whistler Film Festival Filmmaker Interview: Ashley Eakin on SINGLE

December 2, 2020December 6, 2020 Jennifer Merin ashley eakin, EDA Awards, filmmaker interview, Short films, single, Whistler Film Festival

Single confronts the complexities of being disabled and dating. Kim, who was born with one arm, gets set-up to go on a blind date. When she finally meets Jake, to her horror – he only has one hand. Unable to get over the apparent ignorance of the matchmaker, as well as her own insecurities about being different, Kim tries to bail on the date. Ashley Eakin and Single are nominated for the AWFJ EDA Award for Best female-Directed Short at Whistler Film Festival.

Festivals Interviews

Whistler Film Festival Filmmaker Interview: Elinor Nechemya on OUR HEARTS BEAT LIKE WAR

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Jennifer Merin EDA Awards, Elinor Nechemya, our hearts beat like war, Short films, the female gaze, Whistler Film Festival

With his eyes in a fantasy book and his ears to the horrific testimony of an Eritrean refugee, nine-year-old Sinai falls asleep at his mother’s workplace, and his mind drifts away. In his sleep his mother tells him a surrealistic fairytale about a Syrian refugee family living in Sweden. This “fairytale” is about a young Syrian boy who falls into a coma-like situation after the family receives a deportation letter from the government.

Festivals Interviews

Whistler Film Festival Filmmaker Interview: Alex Anna on SCARS

November 23, 2020November 23, 2020 Jennifer Merin alex anna, EDA Awards, scars, Short films, the female gaze, Whistler Film Festival

Alex Anna’s body is a canvas: her scars come to life to tell a new story of self-harming. Live action and animation intertwine in this short and poetic documentary, both intimate and universal.

Festivals Interviews

Whistler Film Festival Filmmaker Interview: Janice Mingas on WHEN THE NIGHT COMES

November 23, 2020November 26, 2020 Jennifer Merin EDA Awards, female filmmakers, janice mingas, Short films, when the night comes, Whistler Film Festival

When The Night Has Come sheds light on the dangerous reality of systemic racism and police brutality. It tells the story of Matt, a young Black man whose life is forever changed after he is stopped by the police for an identity check. The film is particularly timely.

Festivals Interviews

LOUISIANA FILM PRIZE: Filmmaker Camille Schmoutz on the Making and Meaning of ST ESTHER DAY – Jennifer Merin interviews

October 22, 2019October 30, 2019 Jennifer Merin 0 Comments camille schmoutz, louisiana Film Prize, Short films, shreveport, st esther day

Camille Schmoutz’s St Esther Day is an elaborate period drama about the clash of socioeconomic classes in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. St Esther Day is an excellent example of how much story can be told, how much atmosphere can be evoked and how much social relevance can be conveyed in a short film. Produced in Shreveport specifically for submission for the 2019 Louisiana Film Prize’s $50,000 award, the film took advantage of the city’s unique locations and ambiance.

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